"I heard the part where you said that you worried about Young Master. When Yao Ling said the next things, you cleverly defended yourself by saying the wrong thing. I'm not as gullible as my dear granddaughter. Girls like you... I already saw too many of them. So, you don't need to pretend anymore!"

"This... this servant really isn't pretending, Old Madam," Liu Li cried. She started to see the gravity of the situation. At first, she came here just to spite and sow discord to Yao Ling, but in the end... what did she get? The old madam's wrath! She knew that she would be punished and she regretted smugly coming here. She didn't count the fact that there was a probability the matriarch would come here.

"Hmpf! Still dare to lie, instead of repentant and beg for forgiveness. Don't you think I don't dare to punish you?" The matriarch asked.

Liu Li knew that it was better for her to be silent or the matriarch would get angrier.

"All the servants here!" The matriarch yelled.

"Yes, Old Madam," All of them quickly answered. They knew that the matriarch was really angry this time. The matter of servants climbing into the master's bed was the thing that the old madam hated the most. It was a taboo! They didn't think Liu Li would be this brazen and snicker to themselves. All the maidservants knew about this taboo, that was why they never thought about catching the male masters' eyes or affection. They still valued their life.

"Today... this will become a reminder for all of you." The matriarch said loudly with her condescending stature. All the servants couldn't help but tremble, including Liu Li. This was the power of the matriarch. Her charismatic deposition was second to none.

"In this household, the thing that I hate the most is for a servant to not understand his or her own position. This Liu Li will be set as an example! Are you worrying about Young Master, huh? Let me tell you, Liu Li! That is a matter between Young Master and Young Mistress. That's not a matter that you have the right to meddle with! Even Concubine Wan has to show her respect to the real heir of Wang Fu!"

The matriarch once again made a brave announcement!

*thump*

*thump*

All the servants except for Xiao Yu felt scared. The real heir?! With this kind of status and recognition, no servants would dare to bully the two of them. Xiao Yu's status would also soar along with them. Even the spies would have to think twice before spying at them. If they were caught, they would definitely get punished heavily or worse... get killed.

Liu Li trembled in fear. The matter was getting worse. She came here without Concubine Wan's permission. If they called Concubine Wan... the consequences would be bad. Yao Ling's lips slightly curled up. She knew that Liu Li was afraid. Ha! Serve you right!

"Grandmother, I don't think Concubine Wan..." Before she finished talking, Yao Ling's sentence was cut off by the matriarch.

"Ssst... Yao Ling, I know that you are new in this kind of environment, but this grandmother will teach you as to not let you oblivious in the matter of inner courtyard. I don't want you to be bullied. She's Concubine Wan's first rank maidservant. She's been gone for a long time and Concubine Wan didn't know about this. Do you think it's possible?" The matriarch asked.

Yao Ling pretended to nod obediently. This was what Yao Ling wanted. She wanted the matriarch to remember about Concubine Wan. Whether Concubine Wan knew about this matter or not, the consequences on Liu Li would still be the same --- very bad.

Liu Li didn't dare to raise her head, so she didn't know that Yao Ling nodded her head. She only thought that probably the stupid Young Mistress tried to help her by making no sound to agree. She was going to smirk when she heard the matriarch's next sentence.

"Call Concubine Wan over!" The matriarch told one of her personal servants to call Concubine Wan. The girl quickly curtsied and went out to call Concubine Wan.

Liu Li could feel herself tremble once again. The matter of Xiao Yu's younger brother was done by the order of her another master and Concubine Wan was oblivious to this fact. Concubine Wan always hated the fact that she used to be a brothel girl and she didn't allow Liu Li to make a contact with their past. Concubine Wan obviously wanted to cut off her past and if she knew Liu Li disobeyed her... it would be really bad.

Concubine Wan was pretty strict with her punishment and Liu Li shuddered at the thought. Where did things go wrong? Her plan was simply to sow discord, but instead, she was butchered by Yao Ling's words. After that, the matriarch came and Concubine Wan was called. She could only blame this on her bad luck. However, she glanced at Yao Ling in hatred. It was because of her! She would certainly get her revenge!

Yao Ling accidentally saw Liu Li's crazed look. She shuddered in fear, but she took note on it. She should be more careful in the future and she also needed to warn Yao Ying about this woman's tendency to hold a grudge.

It didn't take long for Concubine Wan to come and she was astonished by the fact that a lot of people had gathered on Yao Ling's courtyard. She saw the servants were kowtowing on the ground. It seemed that something big had happened and she was in puzzle why she was called over.

She curtsied to the matriarch and Yao Ling, then asked, "Old Madam, what happened?"

The matriarch knew that Concubine Wan wasn't really the brightest person and she could see from her expression that she was indeed bewildered with the scene. Before Concubine Wan saw Liu Li, the matriarch asked, "Where is your maidservant, Liu Li?"

"Liu Li? This Concubine hasn't seen her for one shichen," Concubine Wan answered in confusion. Why would they search for Liu Li? Concubine Wan didn't really pay attention to where Liu Li had gone, because she got a headache since morning. She only wanted to rest and sleep, so she didn't allow anyone to bother her.

"Does she always run around without your permission?" The matriarch asked, trying to know how this Concubine managed her own courtyard. A first rank maidservant was missing and yet... she didn't know? Either she was stupid or she was too good at pretending.

"This Concubine doesn't understand what the matriarch implied of. She's indeed this concubine's first rank maidservant, but she usually asks for permission. However, today this concubine is having a massive headache and resting in my courtyard the whole day. This concubine admits that this one hasn't seen Liu Li because of that," Concubine Wan explained.

The matriarch sneered at her, "You are already a part of 'Wang Fu'. Don't think of this household as a brothel in which your maidservant could roam around another person's courtyard without the owner's permission! You have to teach your maidservant how to behave!"

Concubine Wan was slightly paler after listening to what the matriarch had just said. It had been such a long time since the last time the matriarch talked about her background. She knew how much the matriarch disdained her background and never mentioned it ever again. But why? She suddenly brought out this subject... was she trying to poke on her sore spot?

However... Concubine Wan also knew that the matter wasn't that simple. There's no smoke without fire[1]. Liu Li must have done something to implicate herself. She gritted her teeth in anger. The girl was usually very sensible and even always came out with a great idea, how come she make such trouble for her?

Concubine Wan asked cautiously, "What did Liu Li do to make Old Madam angry? This concubine will discipline her later!"

----

[1]. There's no smoke without fire: if unpleasant things are said about someone or something, there is probably a good reason for it.